The Life and Times of a Supervillain
by PinkRangerV
Summary: Tommy Oliver discovered a secret that forced him to become Lord Tirthor. But when he must face Kimberly Hart and the Dino Rangers, can he remain Lord Tirthor and save the world? Or will his heart conquer all? AU. Dark.
1. Dino Gems

A\N: Just a thought. Of course, you know how 'just a thought' usually turns out...awesome. ;p Enjoy!

* * *

The agent glares at me.

I reach out and carefully run a finger down his cheek. The boy shudders. "Poor Kireti." I coo. "Did you think I wouldn't find you? Those gems are a siren's song to me."

I slap him, so quickly he doesn't realize I'm going to. Kireti stares up at me, terrified and broken. I've grown used to it, like all the other aspects of my job, but I still hate hurting children.

I turn away from Kireti and gaze at the gems. Mine. Finally mine, after years of searching...

"You won't kill what I stand for."

I turn back to Kireti, an eyebrow raised. "Oh? Explain, please."

Kireti gazes back, unafraid. The elven people, and their planet, were easy to conquer, but occasionally, just every so often, they surprise me. "What I did, and why I did it, people know. They'll think about it. Eventually they'll realize that you aren't a good leader. My ideas will live on, Lord Tirthor. I may die, but you won't kill what I stand for."

And here, boys and girls, is where a general should ask if I want Kireti killed. But no one does. I don't have any yet, and an idea springs into my mind. I smile slowly.

"Tell me, Kireti," I ask slowly, "How would you like to join me?"

"Never." He hisses.

I send my spellbook zooming to my hand. "Never," I warn him with just the faintest hint of a twinkle in my eye, "Say never."

* * *

Kireti walks beside me as I stroll along the surface of Zian. The toady in charge of the planet struggles to keep up. Oh, please, you little runt. I'm in a cape and the official royal clothing here, the least you could do is walk at my speed.

"Lord...Lord Tirthor..." He pants.

I stop and glare. When the man recovers his breath, he sees the full force of my bright green eyes turned upon him. "Slesse." I state, not bothering to color my voice with warning. "Should you not learn how to keep up with me, I will simply have to allow Kireti to debrief you."

Slesse looks terrified. If you have earned my wrath, death at my hands is more merciful than death at Kireti's. Apparently the poor boy was abused before he became a rebel, and now takes out his trauma on anyone who I direct him at. "Of...of course, my Lord." Slesse stammers.

I turn and walk on. Slesse follows, and once I see that he can speak, I ask, "What is this urgent matter you called me here for, Slesse?"

"Well..." He pauses. "It's, er, a rather delicate matter, your Worship."

A lead ball sinks into the pit of my stomach. "I trust, Slesse," I say softly, "That it had nothing to do with the rather precious gems I left with you for safekeeping."

Slesse's expression answers for me.

I walk faster. "They are unharmed." They'd better be, or you're dead.

"Yes, of course, my Lord!" Slesse says, hopeful that I won't murder him now. "But, er, well..."

"Spit it out." I command, sweeping into Slesse's palace.

Slesse gulps as I storm down to the holding room.

I throw the doors open.

"I don't know where they are." Slesse says, quite unnecessarily.

I stride forward.

The pedestal is cracked in half. A note is left wedged into the crack. I pull it out.

_Tommy,_

_So this is what you've been protecting? Amazing. Raw Dino Gems...I'm a bit jealous. You've even got that cute boy Kireti working for you, and twelve whole planets under your belt! I guess Zedd did a good job brainwashing you, 'Lord Tirthor'._

_Don't worry, darling. These gems will be put to good use. I'm waiting for you to use them, though. It's fitting that the one who captured them should be the one who dies by them._

_Love you, Handsome._

_ Beautiful_

My hand flies out, and Slesse screams, falling to the floor and writhing in agony. Kireti watches with an almost greedy look--he imagines his abusive father in our victims, I think.

I pull a pouch out of my pocket. The White Gem is safe. "Luckily you did not completely fail, Slesse." I smile grimly. "Otherwise, Kireti would be killing you."

"Lord...Tirthor...Mercy..." He wheezes.

I snap my fingers.

He screams and dies. His top henchman stares in awe.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"El...Elesse." She says softly.

"Then, Elesse, the planet is yours. Guard it well against my return." I smile at her charmingly. "Good day."

Then I whirl out.

"Couldn't resist flirting, hunh?" Kireti teases. He didn't lose his spirit when I enslaved him magically. I don't mind. He knows his place and when to keep his mouth shut, and it _is_ entertaining.

"No." I admit. "Get the shuttle ready, Kireti."

I crumple Kimberly's note. Tommy's heart crumples with it as I speak.

"We're going to Earth."


	2. Mesegog

A\N: Two updates! Yayness! ;)

* * *

"My Lord, welcome home."

I look around. "Thank you, Kireti...ah. Impressive."

In Rita's time, this was your standard palace. In Zedd's time, it was your standard palace with mist and a lot more magic floating around. For me, though...

The palace is decorated in my colors, green and black. A dagger lies between the green and black blocks, my official seal. My throne is obsidian, with emerald daggers carved into the armrests, as if I sit with my hands upon two dagger hilts. The hall around me is simple stone, but a long black carpet leads up to my throne.

I walk up to it, twirling and seating myself, and Kireti kneels at my feet. I smile approvingly. "Your artistic talents haven't faded a bit, my friend."

He beams at me. "Thank you, my Lord!"

I wave. "Come, sit. We need to review."

Kireti sits beside me on the steps leading up to the throne. I gesture, and a circle of water appears in the air, showing Kimberly teaching high school.

It takes my breath away.

She's beautiful, every bit as much as the day I met her. Maybe even more so--now that I'm in my twenties, I'm beginning to realize that a woman of twenty or so is much more interesting than a child of seventeen.

"Beautiful, my Lord."

I raise an eyebrow at Kireti.

He shrugs. "I don't know, it seemed appropriate to say. You never know what to say to me when I like a boy."

I smile. "True."

I watch Kireti for a moment. The only spells I put on him were minor, spells to unlock hatred and anger in the boy. When I explained what I was doing to him, that Lord Tirthor exists only out of direst necessity, he was glad to aid me. But no matter what I told him, he couldn't be cruel or hateful without spells.

That freedom, though--the free choice to serve me--makes him invaluable. And that quality appears when he talks back to me, when he treats me like an equal. It reminds me that I'm still human.

"My Lord?"

I blink awake. "Sorry, Kireti." I turn back to the screen. "Anyhow, so that I am perfectly clear, that woman is _mine_. Do I need to explain what will happen should you try to woo her?"

"As if I'd want to." Kireti snorts. "Don't worry, my Lord, the troublesome female is _all_ yours."

"Good. Now, let me see..." Three students are near her. In my enchanted screen, they glow with the power of the Dino Gems. Kim calls on them, one by one.

Kira Ford, Yellow Ranger.

Ethan James, Blue Ranger.

Conner McKnight, Red Ranger.

"Has she mobilized them yet?" I ask.

"Yes. Mesegog attempted an attack earlier. He kidnapped the girl, Kira Ford. I set up an invisiportal where she could find it--a sort of wormhole, my Lord--and captured Mesegog, Elsa, and Zeltrax for you." Kireti reports.

"Nicely done." I praise him. "What did you do with his generals?"

"Killed them."

I raise an eyebrow.

Kireti blushes. Unlocking his hatred meant that, every so often, he gets jealous. Especially if someone bests him in a fight. I sigh. "Kireti, we need to be efficient, or we end up doing nothing. You do understand, right?"

"I'm sorry." He mumbles.

I judge him carefully, then nod. "Next time you're going to be confined to the moon for the next battle, understand? I can't risk you forgetting this."

"I understand, my Lord."

I nod and let it go. He's still a child. "Come, then. Let's see this creature, Mesegog, shall we?"

"He's not quite Mesegog, my Lord. He's a parasite, feeding from the body of Anton Mercer." Kireti says, eager to regain my favor.

I smile. "Good. That will make my job easier. Separate the two of them, then kill Mesegog...no, I'll have to leave the scientist's body to be discovered by the Rangers."

"Then Eltar will discover it as well?"

I laugh. "You understand our game far too well, Kireti. I wonder if I should have just sent you home."

Kireti shudders. "No! I mean, no, my Lord, I'm happier here."

"I was teasing." Belatedly I remember his abusive father. Idiot homophobe. When--if--I send Kireti home, I need to murder his father first. I make a mental note, then sweep into the dungeons.

Anton Mercer, a blonde man, looks up at me exhaustedly. "Lord Tirthor, I presume." He says calmly.

"You presume correctly." I tell him. "Human, look at me."

He does. Hope radiates in his eyes.

"I will free you of Mesegog." I tell him. "But it will kill you. I want you to know that, were it not for your stupidity in your experimenting, this would not be necessary."

"No!" He gasps. "Please, my Lord--I have a son--"

Damn. But still, a son? Someone with Mercer's intelligence? Kireti told me about the experiment that created Mesegog on the way here. If I could shape the boy into someone with common sense...

I press a hand to the man's forehead. "Be still. Now, think of him."

Anton glares.

I sigh and gesture. Anton screams, his form morphing between Mesegog and Mercer. When I judge him ready to speak, I ask again. "Think of your son."

Anton glares again.

It takes hours of torture for me to finally force him to think of the boy. When I see Trent Mercer, I'm almost disappointed. A young hispanic with no real talent...

The White Gem glows in my pocket.

I smile. "Don't worry, Anton Mercer. Your son will be...provided for."

Horror passes over his face before I kill him. I carve my mark into his stomach, then tell Kireti to toss him into the ocean.

I have a White Ranger to recruit.


	3. Battle Lines

A\N: If you can hit the fav button, you can also hit the review button...and, unfortunately, I have a pretty long list of stuff to do. If I don't get reviews, updating goes to the bottom of my list. It's not a threat or hostage-holding, just an unfortunate fact. So if you like, tell me! Just a couple words is all I need!

* * *

Kireti watches as the Rangers battle a very nasty mercenary I found in the Outer Wastes. "This team is...interesting, my Lord." He says.

I smile dryly. "Interesting isn't the word for it. Look at them. Bickering, squabbling, but still somehow fighting as one. This generation is very different from mine."

"How so, my Lord?" Kireti asks.

"Well, for one thing, we worked as a team constantly." The Blue Ranger tumbles to the ground. "And we knew how to guard ourselves. For the love of all that's evil, I know I need to use dangerous monsters, but how exactly is this plan going to work if the Rangers die?" I jump to my feet, pacing in frustration. "Kimberly's a decent fighter! Why hasn't she taught these children _anything_?"

"They're winning."

I turn back to the screen. "About bloody time." When they finish him off, I hesitate, then make him grow--the Rangers need the Zord practice. This battle is less humiliating than the first, and when it's over, I pity Kimberly. If these guys were my protoge`s, I'd be insane by now.

"My Lord, why not just kill them and take the gems back?" Kireti asks.

I smile. "Good. An original thought. The answer, Kireti, is that we need this balance. I must fight them, and I must be too dangerous for the Rangers to leave Earth. But they must survive, and they must keep me from gaining any real ground."

"And if they don't..."

I nod. Neither of us need to finish that sentence. We know the consequences for not having Rangers.

My watch beeps, and for a minute I forget why I set it. Then I remember the boy I adopted. "I'll be back soon, Kireti." I tell him. I teleport down to Earth's surface.

The cybercafe, run by a redheaded woman named Haley (the only adopted Power Ranger, as far as I can tell, and with an attitude that would scorch a Mercurian), is bustling. Trent's showing grace under pressure, easily juggling order after order.

When he spots me, he waves and turns to Haley for a minute. I walk over to the counter. "How's it going, Trent?"

"Great. Thanks, Dr. O." Tom. My name is Tom, I'm letting you call me that, why the hell do you keep calling me 'Dr. O'? Of course, Kireti's introduction of me didn't help. At least the pompus child didn't list off my title as Lord Tirthor too, just every college diploma I own. "How was work?"

"Interested in the cultural meaning of hippos to the Aztecs?" I lie, grinning. "Thought not." This place brings back memories. Not of this place, certainly, but of another hangout a world away, of the color white and smoothies..."Hey, can you get me a smoothie?" Why not indulge in nostalgia? Torturing that idiot mercenary into obeying me was a pain, and just watching him be destroyed was frankly depressing.

"Sure. What d'you want?" Trent says, grinning at me.

"Banana sounds good." I always had those, they were white. Trent nods and heads off.

When he returns with his smoothie and a quick warning that he's gonna have to put in overtime, I just nod. "I can wait. I do own Tivo."

Trent laughs. I had to steal a house from someone, which was far more complex than I thought it would be, but the Tivo was worth it. I forgot just how much I liked watching football. Trent likes it too, which is good--the more he sympathizes with me, the more likely it is that he won't assassinate me the second he's turned 'good'. I certainly can't tell him what I told Kireti--I have one friend in the world, and that's it.

Trent is just a pawn.

The door opens, and a brunette in pink catches my eye. I glance over--I'm learning to get over Kimberly, really, but maybe I can flirt for a bit.

Then I see that it's, well...

Kimberly.

She herds her Rangers in, then flops down next to me without looking. Shock runs through me first, then a cold, slow amusement.

I can have fun with this.

"Want a smoothie?" I ask in her ear, my voice dripping sensuality. She almost jumps out of her skin. When she sees me, her face turns white.

"_Tommy_?" She whispers in horror.

"Actually, I go by Lord Tirthor now." I tell her, and this...well, this is definitely fun. Of course, my sense of 'fun' is slightly twisted, but still. "But don't tell the children. Word might get around."

Kimberly regains her composure. Somewhat. "What are you _doing_ here?"

I lift my glass. "Smoothies. I felt a little nostalgic. Remember Ernie's, Kim?" I feel another pang of nostalgia saying the name, but it's not about smoothies, it's about friends I don't have anymore. Don't break now, Tom. You know what you're doing--you're saving the world. You gave them up for a reason.

"Don't tell me the great and mighty Lord Tirthor can be taken down with a smoothie." Kim drawls.

"Actually, the only thing that can take me down is sitting over there." I nod at the Rangers. "Clever of you. But Mesegog wasn't quite a threat."

"Did you do that to him?" Kim asks, and she doesn't look squeamish or frightened, but older somehow, as if she's seen evil and isn't afraid of it anymore.

I nod.

"He had a son." Kim says softly.

I nod again. "He's a good boy, you know. Likes football, NASCAR, even getting into martial arts now that I've steered him to it." I register her look of shock and chuckle. "Did you really think I was here for the smoothies?"

"So you have another pawn." Kim says disgustedly.

"Of course. But let's not talk work, Kim." I reach out and take her hand. She doesn't resist. "Let's talk about you. I want to hear everything."

Kim tries to pull away half-heartedly, but I don't let go. "Tommy..." She says, something halfway between desperation and wanting in her voice.

"Are you afraid of me, Kim?" I ask softly.

"No." She whispers. "Just of what Zedd turned you into."

I smile darkly. "Zedd only did a little, Kim. I did the rest myself." I lean closer to her. "Do you like the result?"

"Excuse me?"

I sit back. The Red Ranger, here to rescue his mentor. Hmm..."Yes?" I ask, not letting go of Kim's hand.

"Why are you bugging Ms. Hart?" He asks brazenly. Behind him, the other two Rangers move to defend their mentor as well.

"Ms. Hart," I say, smiling condescendingly, "Doesn't need her teenage students defending her." I turn my smile to Kim, this time making it seductive. "You've always been good at defending yourself, haven't you, Beautiful?"

Kim pulls her hand from my grasp.

"I've always been good," She says softly, "At playing games. And yours? It's second-rate at best." She smiles and whispers in my ear, "And honestly, _Handsome_, even Zedd was better at the seduction game then you are."

"But you were tempted." I remind her.

She pulls away as if stung, then marches off, head held high. The Red Ranger glares at me. "Leave her alone." He warns me, then heads off, nowhere near as grandly as his teacher.

"Uh, Dr. O? You awake?"

I shake my head, glancing at Trent. "Oh. Sure. Come on, let's go watch football, hunh?" At least, I've got to stick you in front of it, I don't have time for babysitting right now.

I've got a mentor to mess with.


	4. BestLaid Plans

A\N: On the one hand, YAYNESS! Reviews! On the other--bleep FFN, they logged me out yesterday! Gah...I hate the stupid glitches.

* * *

Kireti rolls his eyes as I come home past midnight for the fifth time in a row. "Don't you think you're getting a little obsessed with Kimberly, my Lord?"

"Of course I am." I wave him off and yawn. "All part of my master plan, don't worry. Is Trent back?"

"Trent went to sleep hours ago." Kireti reminds me. "He's starting to wonder whether to put out an amber alert for you."

"Amber alerts are the ones for kids, you mean call the cops." I tell him, heading upstairs.

Kireti sighs.

"You miss me too?" I ask dryly.

"I don't miss people." Kireti says, his eyes flashing, but I see the lie in them. He's as much of a kid as Trent is.

I smile at him. "Don't worry. I have enough information to put my plan in place. Come on, I need your help." I don't, but it's better than having Kireti moping around everywhere.

I watch him scamper up to the portal and wonder yet again why he's grown on me so much. He's just a kid I saved...well, maybe that's why. It's like adopting a puppy--it's not just a puppy after you've adopted it, it's part of your family.

Or I'm just getting soft.

I sigh and head over to the monster-making equipment, where Kireti's already experimenting. "No. No monsters. Just you."

Kireti's face lights up.

"Okay, here's the idea. Kim's a human, so she's got to let her guard down eventually. And now I know when she does--Saturday mornings. Apparently the Rangers hang out at her house then."

"So I can kill them then?"

I raise an eyebrow.

Kireti glares at the ground sheepishly. "I'm just sayin' we _could_..."

"And we're not going to. Instead, we'll incapacitate their parents. Oh, and Haley--that woman worries me. Just put a sleeping powder in their drinks. It won't hurt them, but it'll scare the Rangers."

"And then?" Kireti asks, a wild joy on his face.

"And then," I tell him, smiling, "We send a monster out. I know they'll defeat it, but it'll take its toll." I sigh. I really hate this job--those are just kids. "I think it's time we reminded the Rangers that this isn't just a game."

"But isn't it?" Kireti asks dryly.

I laugh. "Of course. Here's the powder. Go, have fun. Don't hurt them, okay? Not directly."

Kireti bows and vanishes.

I sigh again. I need to talk to someone. Unthinkingly, I reach for a special comm.

Zedd appears on the screen. His skinless illusion is gone, leaving a humaniod male with elven features behind. He yawns and rubs his eyes. "Hello, Thomas."

"Hi, Zedd." I smile a bit, but I guess Zedd can see through it. That's the problem with mentors. They know you too well.

"What's wrong?"

I shrug. "Kim's got a team. I had to tell Kireti to be pretty harsh with the Rangers."

"What did you do?" Zedd asks, flopping tiredly into a seat.

"Had him incapacitate Haley and their parents." I explain. "Then I'll attack. God, Zedd...how can I do this? I know they're going to go through hell, I know I'm going to pretty much traumatize them--"

"Thomas."

I stop babbling. Zedd smiles dryly. "You don't have a choice, Thomas."

"I know that!" I snap, then rub my hands over my face. "Sorry. I've been tracking Kim."

"Your favorite activity!" We both laugh. "The Dino Gems are a warning, Thomas. When they're used, the Eltarians will check on whichever planet they're being used on, and we can safely assume they're checking Earth at the moment." Zedd sighs. "And, of course, should the Rangers not be necessary, should the villain at the time not be strong enough..."

"Earth falls under Eltarian rule." I finish. "I still wish..."

"I know." Zedd reassures me. "Sometimes I wonder if I should have chosen Jason for this job. You're a good man, Thomas."

"So's he. And he didn't have any training for being evil." I smirk. "Jase evil...there's something I'd have _loved_ to see."

"Well, now you never will. I take it the Rangers can handle this new attack of yours?"

I nod. "Bit of a gamble, but not much. I just...I hate this job."

"Me too." Zedd says gently. "Keep fighting, Thomas. You're saving your planet from everything it stands against. No matter what you do, no matter what you become, you're a hero, Thomas. Remember that."

I smile. "Thanks, Zedd." I yawn. "I should go to bed."

"Or let me get back to mine..."

I laugh. "Sorry. See you later?"

"Of course." Someone yells something in alien from the background. "Rita says hi. She also says to tell you to quit worrying or she's gonna whack you over the head."

I crack up. "Tell her I'm done worrying, then. Night."

"Good night."

I turn off the comm and yawn.

When I fall into bed, there's no dreams.

* * *

I find Trent parked in front of the television.

"Hey, kiddo. Is my face on a milk carton yet?" I ask, smiling.

Trent glares.

I sigh and park myself in front of the TV, grabbing the cereal. "Sorry. My work got kind of hectic. I told Kireti to keep an eye on you."

"He's not you."

Well, we were gonna get to the security issues at some point. "Trent, you don't need me. You have more power, more potential, than anyone I've ever met. You don't need anyone, because you're the strongest person I know."

Trent shrugs.

Damnit. Now what do I do? They don't exactly have an Evil Villain's Manuel To Training Your (Adopted) Children To Become Evil Themselves. "But I'm not leaving you." I try cautiously.

Trent smiles hesitantly, so I guess that worked. "I have an art show later. Want to see my piece?"

"Sure."

He scampers off to his room, bringing back the world's darkest painting. It's a white Power Ranger, battling hordes of dark things to get to a sphere of light.

That sphere of light looks _way_ too much like a Zeo Crystal.

"You never happened to live in Angel Grove, did you?" I ask, and Trent laughs. "Good work. Astonishing, actually--" Oh shit.

His wrist has the White Gem on it, complete with my unfinished morpher.

"Dr. O?" Trent asks cautiously.

I pick up his wrist. "Where did you find this?"

"Uh, nowhere." He lies.

I shrug. "Funny. I thought I left that up on the lunar palace, right in the middle of my workshop. Nowhere, USA, is the other way."

Trent blushes. Then he realizes what I said and pales.

"No." He whispers. "You're...you're not..."

"Lord Tirthor?" I sigh. Great. This is just not my day. "Calm down, Trent, that morpher's unstable and you're about to activate it."

He stares at me in terror.

"Trent. Breath." I order, using my leader-of-the-Rangers, battlefield-commander tone. "Now relax. Imagine water flowing down your body. Imagine it relaxing your muscles. Good." Okay, one crisis averted. "Now, you're right, I am Lord Tirthor. And that's why I adopted you."

"You killed my dad." Trent says calmly.

I nod. "There wasn't another way to save him. If it helps, he died a hero." Which is a total lie, he died sobbing and pleading for mercy, but Trent needs reassurance. "Now, before we discuss anything else, I'm going to go upstairs and get the morpher that works. You will wait here, and believe you me I will know if you decide to run. When I've switched the morpher out, _then_ we talk."

Trent looks at me, terror and despair battling on his features. Fine. I'm sorry, Trent, but you have to believe, really and truly know that I am evil, or you'll never be any good in this little game.

Eltar must never know that I'm saving the world.

I run upstairs faster than normal, grabbing the morpher, then head back down to Trent. He's sitting in the chair, hunched over, crying slightly. I crouch beside him and carefully speak to the morpher, entwining a spell that allows me to free Trent. When I switch out the morphers, Trent visibly relaxes, and the crying stops.

I pocket the bad morpher. Trent looks at me in fear. "Why did you kill my dad?" He asks.

"He'd turned himself into a monster. He came to me asking for help to destroy it so it wouldn't hurt anyone." I lie about the last part. "I told you, your father was a hero."

"You killed him."

"There wasn't another way." We're going over this too many times. Thinking about that death will get me a suicidal Ranger. "Trent, do you know why I adopted you?"

"No." He admits.

I smile. "Because you are going to be my evil Ranger. The gem and morpher are for you." I sit across from him on the coffee table. "I know you don't want to be my Ranger. You don't have a choice. Either you work for me willingly, or I put a spell on you. Which is worse, Trent--being able to control your actions, or knowing that when you black out you've done something horrible, but not knowing what it is, even if you murdered?"

Trent looks nearly broken. Nearly, but not quite. I may have to break him somewhat, but I hope not--he's a sweet boy.

"Trent, did you hear me?" I ask when he doesn't reply.

"I heard." He whispers. He adds something in Spanish, something to do with God and Mary.

"They won't protect you, Trent." I tell him, guessing at the word's meanings. "No one can save you. So choose. Will you serve me willingly, or will I have to enslave you?"

Trent glares at me, a hidden pool of strength appearing. "You'll have to _kill_ me, Dr. O."

Suddenly he's gone, a whooshing sound made followed by a thud as he hits the door. I roll my eyes. "Ten out of ten for style, Trent, but minus several million for good thinking." He's too young to understand the reference to _the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_, but oh, well. It's worth it. I reach down and help the boy up.

He's shaking.

"Don't be stupid." I tell him gently. "Serve me. You will become more powerful than you could imagine in your wildest dreams."

"Never." He whispers.

I sigh and grasp him roughly by the arm, dragging him upstairs. Okay, if he's going to play hero, I have to play villain.

I drag him into the workshop, kind of surprised by the fact that Trent doesn't try to hurt me after I glare at him. I guess I'm scary enough, then. I toss Trent into the pentagram, ignoring his yelp of surprise, and start chanting.

The spell doesn't take long, but it takes energy. When Trent collapses, I envy him. But then Kireti comms me.

I turn away from the completed spell. Let Trent rest. He'll need it. "Status, Kireti."

"I've got them running, my Lord!"

What? "_You've_ got them--what?" I call up a veiwscreen.

The Rangers have fallen before a giant Kireti. He becomes smaller and, one by one, knocks them out. "I'll bring the prisoners back, my Lord!" He chirps happily.

No. No, the Rangers can't fall! Eltar's going to be here any second! Shit, what do I _do_?

Kireti appears, the Rangers bound and gagged as they appear behind him. Kireti kneels. "Lord Tirthor," He says, smiling insanely, "Earth is yours."

No.

Earth's _screwed_.


	5. Weak Points

A\N: Sorry I didn't update yesterday. Shopping with Mom took WAY longer than I thought it would. On the other hand, I have my permit, so I'm pretty happy...and now this update makes you happy too! :)

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One day, three consecutive evil rants directed at Kireti, one grounding for life directed at guess who, getting laughed at by Zedd for conquering a planet _by accident_, two hours of scaring Trent into behaving only to realize I left an ingrediant out of my spell and having to do the whole thing over again, nearly getting killed by Kireti, having to fix the spells on him and finally remove the damn things, and creating a dark, dismal world of despair later, I collapse into bed and tell Trent and Kireti that if they disturb me I'm going to make them sleep in the torture chamber.

I can't sleep.

Trust me--sleep sounds wonderful. But I can't. My brain's still in 'on' mode from the chaos earlier. I sigh. I may as well do something useful with it. My plan hinges on two things.

One, fixing the spells on my generals so I never have to deal with something this stupid again. Two, what happens when an evil villain takes over the world?

The heroes save it.

So I need my heroes to know what's going on. I also need my evil world to last long enough to convince Eltar that I am a bona-fide threat. Not enough of one to send the Council of Light after, but enough to scare them into leaving Earth alone.

I throw on my clothes, then carefully check my appearance. Scary, evil, sophisticated. Most evil villains don't go for sophistication, but it seems to work for me, a kind of cold beauty that most girls can't resist. And yes, I _do _act evil just for the girls.

I chuckle at my own joke, then head down to the dungeons.

The Rangers are _young_. That's the first thing I think. I only think it because Conner and Ethan are arguing like Kireti and Trent, but a little more viciously.

"...I'm not a geek!"

"Being a geek didn't stop anyone from sleeping, did it? Or do you have a rhinoceros up your nose?" Ethan snaps back. "I'm sure you can have the chain saw surgically removed!"

"I am not snoring, you little--"

"Now, now, boys," I say, striding confidently into the room, "Let's not fight."

Kira's head snaps up instantly. I think she was asleep, but she glares at me with more alertness than most people would have with ten cups of coffee. I smile at her. The Yellow Glare doesn't work on me, honey, I'm far too confident. The boys look at me with a mixture of fear and hate.

All right. Time to start implimenting my plan. Which of you will lead the charge to escape? That's the one I need to target, but not directly. This is the kind of delicate operation I love.

"So," I say, stepping a little more into the room, "These are the Power Rangers."

"Got that right." Conner says, pretending boldness. "And you're gonna wish you'd never met us, Tirthor!"

"How original." I say in my most bored tone. "Just like every other Ranger. Uninspiring." I glance at Kira. Keeping silent? Good. Is it because you're smart, or because you're afraid? "What about you, little flower?" I walk over to her, tracing a finger down her cheek. She glares silently at me. "Are you smarter than these two?"

"Smart enough to take you out." She snarls, but from her I'm actually worried. I smile insencerely and turn away.

"Ethan. You're the intelligent one. Can your intelligence produce an original sentence?"

Ethan just shakes his head, looking scared. Okay. He's not leading any charges, then. Now I have to figure out whether Conner or Kira's in charge. So I need to shake them up a bit, scare them. Possibly cause injury. Only minor, of course--I want them at top form to defeat me.

And now I know how to do it.

"Pity. I suppose, though, you'll tell me where your mentor is, Kira?" I ask, turning back to her. "Oh, don't worry. I won't hurt her. My plans for Kimberly don't include anything bad." Not like you'll tell me anyway.

Kira glares at me. "Like hell I'm telling you."

I walk over to her, subtly changing the aura around me so that I'm threatening and seductive at the same time. It's a good tactic for female opponants. They become more dramatic, showing me what role they play in their teams better. "Poor little child." I croon, gently brushing a strand of honey-brown hair from her face. "Did she tell you that you were fighting for Earth? You aren't, you know. You're just being manipulated. What do you owe her for taking you out of school and putting you on the battlfield?"

"Everything." Kira hisses with surprising venom. Okay, wonderful, sweetie, but could you give me something to work with here? Ethan's the brains of the team, but I still don't know whether you're the leader or not.

"Leave her alone!"

Conner's outburst surprises me. Maybe he's the leader after all. Hmm, maybe he just likes Kira and doesn't want males around her. I reach out and touch Kira's face again to test my theory. "Why, Conner?" I ask, gazing into Kira's eyes. "I'm talking to your friend her. Believe me, boy, you don't want me talking to you."

"Just leave her alone, you perverted old freak!" Conner snaps, sounding scared as hell. Ah. He finds Kira attractive and can tell that I'm being seductive. I check the levels of my magic automatically and realize that the whole castle can probably tell, I overdid the spell. Shit. I fix it and turn away.

"Don't worry. She's far too young for me." I smile coldly. "But I have no problems killing either of you. Tell me, how long do you think you can survive this?"

I gesture, and he screams as all his nerves simultaniously tell him that he's in excruciating pain. Ethan shuts his eyes, and I ignore him. After a few seconds I let up, watching Conner start to shake from shock.

I smile coldly again. "Now. Which one of you wants to tell me where dear Kimberly is?"

There isn't a reply. I see Conner and Kira looking at each other, locking gazes, and I can almost hear their thoughts.

_Don't tell him_.

"You won't find out." Kira says suddenly.

"Why not, my dear?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I don't care what happens to Conner." She says calmly. "And he doesn't care what happens to me."

I gesture, and a knife appears as Conner flinches. I walk over to Ethan, pressing the blade to his shoulder hard enough for a drop of blood to appear. "Then perhaps you'll tell me, Ethan?"

He stays silent. He shakes with terror as I cut into his shoulder, but he stays silent.

I pull the knife away, judging the children. Damn. They don't have weak points, and I don't know who's leader. So now what? What do you do when the leader of your enimies won't react in a way you can predit and guide...hang on.

"Why are you so afraid of telling me?" I ask Kira, who's been the most vocal lately. "Has she been a mother to you? A mentor? What do you owe her, Kira, when she destroyed your life?"

"She never destroyed it." Kira says quietly, a subtle nobility appearing, a hint of something grand and beautiful and sad within her. A woman within a child. "She saved it."

The other two Rangers look at her in awe and confusion. Kira continues without shame or tears, not looking at them but at me. "I was going to kill myself before I met Kim. My life sucks, honestly. But Kim took care of me. She showed me a better way to live, a way to be a good person, and she showed me that life was worth living. I don't owe her nothing, Tirthor. I owe her _everything_."

Oh.

"Don't worry, Kira." I say softly. "Your mentor won't hide from me. With or without you, with or without your teammates, the woman who gave you that hope is going to become my slave." I smile as she looks at me with horror and the beginnings of despair. "But maybe I'll tell her just how much she meant to you before I kill her."

I turn and head off, satisfied.

Let Conner and Ethan cower in fear. Let the Rangers clam up and refuse to speak to me. Kira loves her mentor.

And as long as I can threaten Kim, I can make Kira into the leader she was meant to be. She will rise and I will fall, and now, finally, balance has been restored.

I sigh as I fall into my bed.

This time, I can sleep.


	6. Seduction and Hints

A\N: Since I couldn't get to the replying page for reviews, I'll answer them here. sernity1806, Eltar wants to conquer Earth, using the Rangers as bait--now that they've had Rangers and accepted Eltarian help, why not accept more? But if you've read this far, you already know that! ;) Not Applicable, thanks! Tommy doesn't want Kira or Conner to be the leader particularly. He just wants to know which one is. Since Kira's being more bold, he's assuming she is--it's just saving him headaches.

Enjoy! (You better, this chappie was a pain in the a\\ to write.)

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Some days I hate myself.

Kimberly is lying on my bed, staring into space, her spirit nearly broken and her body exhausted. My dramatic entrance means nothing now, because as soon as I see her pain I don't know if I even have the strength to keep pretending to be evil.

I shut the door and walk over to Kimberly. Maybe taunting her will give her a reason to fight, get her going again. I can't hurt her when she's like this. Come on, Kim, this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Please, please don't make it harder. "So this is the mentor of the Power Rangers? The great Kimberly Hart?" I tease. "Just a woman who can't fight back?"

She doesn't reply.

"I captured your students. For all you know, they could be dying, could be dead. Every breath I take betrays you, darling. Aren't you even a little angry?" I ask almost sweetly.

A single tear falls down her face.

Oh, god. I can't do this. "Kim, please." I whisper, reaching out to her. "Say something. Anything."

"Why?" Kim asks, her voice almost a whisper, pained and despairing. "It won't matter. Either you'll kill me or I might as well be dead."

I sit next to her and pull her onto my lap, just holding her silently. She clings to me, neither of us knowing how to fix this and both of us wanting each other more than anything.

Slowly the tears start, Kimberly not making any noise as she sobs, just clinging to me the way I cling to her, helpless and too deeply in love not to admit it. I run my hands through her hair, and I wish I could kill myself for doing this to her. I hate this, I want her to be happy. Why can't I make her happy?

Kimberly's tears fade away, leaving the same silence as before, but this time she whispers into my neck, "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I love you." I tell her honestly. "Because I love Earth."

"You _enslaved_ Earth!" Kimberly's words are almost pure despair. I've done this to others and laughed, but Kim...no. I can't stand doing this to Kim. "And me..." Her words trail off into another sob.

"No. No, I won't hurt you, Kim." I whisper, kissing her temple. "I'd never hurt you, Beautiful, you know that."

"Not anymore."

I hold her, just hold her, remembering that her hair always smelled like strawberries and yes, she was always this warm and light, and I wish I could taste her again and we could have each other. I give in to the impulse, kissing her passionatly, feircly.

She moans, shaking slightly as we part. Fear is in her eyes, fear I earned.

"Forget the fight. Please." I whisper, brushing her hair aside and looking into her eyes honestly. "I won't hurt you. I promise."

Kimberly kisses her yes.

She's soft and warm, a goddess, her skin perfectly pale and her body so inviting. At first I'm careful, as if she could break if I don't, but she begs me for more and I finally give in to the fantasies I've indulged since I left her.

Hours later we're both tired, her more than me. I reach out and pull her into my arms again, sighing as her fingers swirl lacy patterns on my chest. "I didn't want this." She whispers fuitily.

"Who are you trying to convince, Beautiful?" I ask, and she laughs, burying her face in my shoulder.

"Now what?" She asks. "Now you kill me? You have what you wanted, don't you?"

"No. I'm not killing you." I don't want to lie to her. I can't keep hurting her like this. "You're too beautiful to kill." I settle for saying.

"Great." Kim drawls, a hint of sarcasm appearing. "You just wanted a slave."

"What do you think?"

"That Zedd needs to die."

I snort. "Zedd doesn't have anything to do with this. It's just us, Beautiful." I kiss her neck, finding her sweet spot with my hands and making her moan with pleasure. "Anyway, don't you want me?"

"You have no idea."

I kiss her lips. "Nothing to worry about, then. Anyway, give it an hour or two and either Kira or Conner should be leading the charge to kill me."

Kim looks up at me sharply.

"What?"

"You...you aren't making this up as you go along." She says. "You're...you're letting us win?"

"No." I tell her. "Not really. There has to be balance."

Kimberly gives me the look that usually means I ought to be in the Happy Hotel. "What are you up to, Handsome?" She asks suspiciously.

"Right now?" I ask, gently nudging her with my hips. "This give you a clue?"

"I'm serious, Tommy."

I smile mischeviously. "Sorry, sorry...hey, I'm a guy, I'm horny. Ow!" I rub my shoulder. "Jeeze, I'm in bed with a crazy woman here."

Kim laughs. I missed that laugh so much, it's so beautiful, like golden bubbles in the air. "Okay, smartass." She says, grinning at me and looping her arms around my neck. "What's up? Why are you back on Earth?"

"Because I'm saving it." I tell her gently, then kiss her neck. "I promise I'll tell you once this is over. But until then, better you think I'm evil."

"But you aren't?"

"Why the surprised tone?" I ask dryly. There was more than surprise, though. Hope, joy...

Satisfaction. As if she knew all along.

"I wondered why you didn't kill the Rangers." Kim says. "And for an evil villain, your generals are a little...how do I put this..."

"Like puppy dogs?" I ask dryly, rolling my eyes. "Oh, god, they're impossible. I can't wait until Trent breaks through my spells, it's like having the world's worst puppies around. Overeager, hyperactive, and hoplessly confused."

Kim laughs. "I can imagine. Conner and Ethan are just as bad."

"At least you have Kira. Hey, want to trade? I'll give you Kireti." Kim cracks up. "Okay, fine, I'll give you a super-cool laser weapon I stole from someone and never figured out how to work. But that's my final offer!"

Kim laughs for a good five minutes before sighing and cuddling against me. "I really wish we weren't enimies."

"Me too." I tell her. "Although I'm kinda glad I missed out on those three clowns you call Rangers. Trent and Kireti are bad enough."

"You like those two, admit it." Kim teases.

"Well, yeah." I admit. "They kind of grow on you." I kiss her lips. "So do I." I tell her in a seductive tone.

She snorts. "You are something else, Mr. Oliver."

"_Dr._ Oliver, thank you." I tell her loftily. "Hey, it took me a full ten minutes to soup up that document!"

My lips get tangled in Kim's, and for the next little while we aren't exactly talking. When we part, I'm wondering just how I lived without this. "You are amazing." I tell her.

"Thanks." Kim kisses my lips. "That was too good. You're a villain, I'm supposed to hate you."

"Not now. Not when it's just the two of us." I kiss her and someone knocks on my door. "Kireti, this better be good."

Kireti opens the door, sees me, and promptly shuts it again. Kim cracks up and I roll my eyes, getting out of bed and yanking a robe on before I open the door. "What?"

"Um...there's an Eltarian warship waiting to see you."

Shit.

"I'll be back!" I shout over my shoulder, heading to the throne room at a run. Seeing no warship, I turn on Kireti, glaring.

"Sorry, my Lord, but the Rangers escaped, and, um..." Kireti rubs the back of his neck in embarassment.

"Yes?" I was having a perfectly good time with Kim, there had better be one hell of an explination.

"Kira said she was going to castrate you."

Oh.

"Ah...thanks." I actually believe that. "Where's Trent?"

"Here." Trent says, stepping out of the shadows with a black eye.

"Why were you two fighting this time?" I ask.

"We weren't. I was, um, talking to Kira..." Trent says sheepishly.

Good lord. "So that's why she wants me castrated. Okay, you two, go pretend to try to stop the Rangers. Don't hurt any of them too bad. And Trent, for the love of God quit pissing Kira off, I like being alive."

"Sorry." He mutters before they take off.

I watch them leave and realize that I really hate my job.

Especially without Kim.


	7. What I'm Missing

A\N: YES! I got more than one review and managed to update on time! The stars have aligned! ;)

Or rather, that was my original A\N. Now it reads: Sorry, my brother and dad are fighting over the computer. Don't worry, I'm getting a netbook, so this shouldn't happen again. The Universe has to find another way to torture me now.

Yeah, just enjoy.

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I hate not having Kim around.

It's all I can think about--her joy, her laughter, how sweet she tastes. I miss her so much. I wish I could have locked her away, kept her here forever...

"My Lord? Are you awake?"

"Yes. I'm fine."

"The Rangers won, remember? You don't need to plot for a while." Kireti reminds me.

"I'm not plotting."

"Or eating."

I glare at the boys. "What is this, mutiny?"

"We're sick of you moping around." Trent explains, tonelessly. Ah, apparently morphing makes him lose all sense of self-preservation. "And if you don't eat, you'll die."

I blink.

Are they actually...worried? About me? The little puppy-generals, worried I'm going to starve?

That's...

"You have to eat." Kireti tells me, grabbing my hand and grinning. "Trent taught me how to cook!"

I hug him and Trent impusivly. Cries of, "Eww! Gross!" And "Get offa me!" make me laugh.

"Okay, okay, I'll be guinea pig, Kireti." I say. Kireti grins and drags me down to the kitchen.

Kireti, as it turns out, is almost as good at cooking as Trent is, which is saying something--like most Hispanics, Trent's the best cook I've met. And honestly, the evening is the most fun I've had in days.

They realize that football's on, decide to hold a furious debate ending in a bet over which team is going to win, forget they asked Zedd to come 'hang out' (in other words, they thought they wouldn't be able to cheer me up), get surprised when he comes, remember, and then fall asleep on top of me while watching football.

I gaze down at them fondly. Trent's sleeping on my outstretched arm, too macho to fall asleep on a guy. Kireti, more comfortable with himself, fell asleep with his face practically in my armpit.

"Here." Zedd says, teleporting them to their beds and handing me a beer. "You need it."

I take a sip and grin. "Nice. What's the label?"

"Green Toad, I think. Something like that. Who cares?" Zedd grins, his carefree attitude to life showing up yet again. "So, Kim, hunh?"

I sigh. A tackle gets made at the last minute on the screen and everyone yells. "Yeah." I stare at my beer, then drink a bit more. "Damn, Zedd. She's...she's beautiful. Inside and out. Funny, smart, hell of a warrior." I shut my eyes. In my mind, she's still staring at the wall, too broken to speak. "How could I have done that to her? I love her. God, I love her!"

"You always did." Zedd tells me gently.

"What do I do now? She doesn't know why I'm evil. For all she knows I could be after sex. Not like that's not a good part..."

Zedd cracks up. "Wow. Really romantic, aren't you?"

"I was, thank you!" I grin wickedly at him. "And if she's saying 'harder'--ow!"

Zedd laughs while I rub my arm. "What the hell is it with everyone hitting me?" I demand, half-whining.

"You're an idiot."

"Yeah, thanks a lot, Zedd."

"You need to just get over her. If you fall for her and she finds out...well, Zordon was pretty important to her, Tom." Zedd sighs. "The Rangers aren't strong enough to challenge Zordon. Enjoy her if you can capture her. But don't let her know how much you miss her."

"Too late for that." I stare at my beer. An idea, crazy and wonderful, pops into my head, but I don't speak it. "You're right." I lie. "I should try to move on."

"Exactly. Unless you're planning on turning her evil."

"Hell, no, Trent's enough trouble." I grin sadly. "Actually, I kind of don't want him to go. Those two...they're my puppy generals."

"Your what?" Zedd asks, half-laughing.

"My puppy-generals. They're just like puppies, I swear to God." I shake my head. "But they grow on you, y'know? If that's what having kids is like...damn. I missed out."

"Of course you did." Zedd says gently. "You missed out on everything you had a right to. As soon as Zordon handed those coins out, you were doomed too. I'm sorry."

"Hey, how many people can say they've saved the world?" I joke, knowing that he's right and I should have had a life and friends and a family and maybe even real kids. But when you care about more than you, giving up a few things, well, it's par for the course.

Zedd smiles at me, acknowledging our shared, unspoken pain. "It'll be over someday." He promises.

I nod and yawn. "I better go check on the kids before I go to bed."

"All right. Just remember, Tom. Finding Kim? It could undo everything we've ever worked for." Zedd grins. "And there's worse things in the world than having puppy generals around."

"Got that right. Night."

Zedd nods and teleports away.

I walk up to each of their rooms and watch the kids sleep for a minute. I wonder what it would be like if they really were mine, if I could know that they'd stay forever, instead of having to give one up someday and never knowing when the other would need to go back to his home.

I want to keep this moment forever.

Finally I go downstairs, to Earth, and head to Kim's house. It's stupid, foolish, and dangerous, but I need this too much to say no anymore. I love Kim too much to give her up twice.

I ring her doorbell. When she answers it, I smile and kiss her.

We don't talk until morning.


	8. Loss

A\N: Please let me finish this before I have to leave, please let me finish this before I have to leave...;) BTW, thanks, jean. A quick reminder--I LOVE reviews, but it's WAY easier to reply when you log in. Just lettin' ya know. :))

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I love Kim.

Kireti gives me a funny look. Oops. Was that out loud? "What, kid?"

"You, um..." Kireti searches for the right word.

Trent walks in, drops his pack on the couch, and says, "You look like you're stoned."

"Trent!"

"What? He does!"

I laugh. "Hanging out with McKnight?"

Trent's face darkens. "He will die. And you will rise and take over the world..." He looks at me suspiciously. "Whaaat?"

"Nothing." Boy, do you remind me of someone, Trent. And he was roughly as much of a genius as you are. Of course, he wore green, but that's neither here nor there..."Hey, your morpher's duct-taped. What happened?"

Trent gets a very weird look on his face.

Of course. Kim hinted that she had a master plan up her sleeve last night. This must be it. I sigh. "Come here. Lemme see." Idiots, I put a spell on him, not tampered with the morpher.

The morpher shows roughly the rewiring skills of an ape, so either this was 'fixed' by Conner McKnight or Bulk and Skull have left Angel Grove. I sigh and take it. "I'll have it done soon." I promise, heading upstairs.

I start fixing it, then call Kim.

"Hart's pool hall, who in the hall d'you want?"

I crack up. "Nice one, Kim."

"Oh, hi, Tommy. What's up?"

"Fixing Trent's morpher. I think Conner thought he could rewire it."

Kim starts swearing. I laugh. "Relax, he's supposed to go over to your side anyway. I just thought you'd figure out I put a spell on the kid, not try to reprogram the morpher with an axe."

"Good lord." I can almost hear Kim shaking her head. "How the hell are you always one step ahead of me?"

"Guess it's a gift, honey."

"I wish I could whack you right now."

"Should I whack myself?"

"Ha ha..."

I grin. Kim's great. "I love you." I tell her, inspired.

"You sound like a dopehead."

"You're the second person to tell me I'm on dope today, you know. First was Trent." Kim laughs. "Hey! It's not funny! You're corrupting him!"

"And that's why," Kim explains through gasps, "It's totally hilarious."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Laugh at the villain..." I roll my eyes. "Hey, have you seen that movie yet? The chick flick thing? Um, what is it...the spy one? With Angelina Jolie?"

"Not yet." Kim says. "Are you asking me?"

"Only if you buy popcorn. Kireti and Trent seem to think I'm made of money."

"Sure. See you then?" Kim asks.

"I can hardly wait." I hang up just after she does, sighing. I love Kim.

CRASH!

Oh, jeeze. Now what? I sigh and pop the morpher back together, then head down to the living room. One of my cool vases is smashed to bits, Kireti's sulking on the couch, and Trent's nowhere in sight.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Trent's an ass."

"Okay, in slightly more detail." I say, wondering if I should trade these two in for a bottle of asprin each.

"Trent's not with us anymore." Kireti says. "And he threw the vase at me."

"And why exactly did he feel the need to do that?" I ask, realizing I didn't really prepare Kireti for this. Hell, I haven't even prepared _myself_ for this yet.

"Cause I said I was gonna fix the spells on him." Kireti mutters.

I sigh and rub Kireti's back, wondering just how to phrase this. "Giving you the 'greater good' talk won't help, will it."

Kireti shakes his head.

"Then look at it this way. This will end. I don't know how or why, but it will. So you and Trent?" I shrug. "Hey, at some point, you'll be best friends."

Kireti looks up at me pitifully. "Promise?"

"Promise." I glance up at Trent's room. "Now to tell Trent that."

Kireti snickers, and I smile at him before heading upstairs. Trent's trashing his room, throwing everything he can find in a backpack.

For a second, I wonder what would have happened had I let Anton live, had I not stepped in. Probably, right now, Trent would be right to run, would need every second of time he could get and would probably end up on the streets.

I'm actually glad I killed him.

"Trent, why are you tearing your room apart?"

He whirls, sees me, and pales. Then he regains his color. "I'm leaving." He says stubbornly.

"Really?"

"I remember what you did to me." A shadow passes over Trent's face. "I'm not your slave." He snarls.

"I take it you're quitting, then."

Trent glares at me. "Is something _wrong_ with you? Seriously, I just told you I'm not under a spell anymore and that's the best you've got?"

I smile dryly. "Yeah, pretty much. Let me tell you a secret, Trent. Rangers get turned evil a lot." I toss him his morpher. "And sometimes they come back." I let my smile get spookier. "Run if you want. The evil's tainted you. I'll get you back soon."

My grin gets sharkish. "Sooner than you think."

Trent stares in horror, and I let my grin go back to normal. "Just don't spy on me or Kireti, and I think we can stand sharing a house, okay?" I tell him. "Actually, Kireti might not talk to you for a while, but stop worrying so much."

He gapes.

"If you think I'm letting a kid run off without somewhere valid to go then you must be nuts. I happen to like being uncastrated, and your girlfriend and mentor both scare the crap out of me." I reexplain.

Trent looks a lot less suspicious. "You aren't going to kill me?"

"No." I tell him. "Just remember that it doesn't apply on the battlefield. And you can't bring the Rangers here, they break everything they touch and losing one expensive vase was enough."

Trent nods slowly. "Just until I can find somewhere to stay."

"All right." You idiot, of course you can stay. You're my kid.

But how do you tell someone that when they don't know you care?

I turn and head off. I need a drink. A stiff one. Oh, God, I'm going to have to lose him now, and I'm going to have to watch him fade away...how can this be happening?

I just wanted my sons with me.

I lock the kitchen door before drinking. I don't want Kireti--and _definitly _not Trent--to see me drink. But once I've drowned my sorrow in the first two beers, I feel better. Mildly. If the Rangers got rid of Trent's spells, they'll take care of him.

I'll still miss him.

"Lord Tirthor?" Kireti asks. "Um...someone's in here, and, um..."

"Trust me," Trent chimes in, "You wanna see this for yourself."

I head out, sighing. Great. Now what--

Kim?

She stares at me, tears on her face, then tries to slap me. I catch her wrist, and she collapses in my arms, sobbing.

"What's wrong?" I ask her, kissing her temples and praying that I can kill whoever did this to her.

"Eltar." She whispers. "The Council...they took my kids."


	9. To End A War

A\N: Reviews....hehehe....:)

* * *

There is a line that cannot be crossed. Children are not to be harmed. Ever. I'm forced to do so.

Eltar isn't. And they've crossed that line.

The former Rangers are gathered in my house, Trent hiding among them. Jason steps forward. "Why are we here, _Tirthor_?" He demands. "What do you want with us?"

"You're here to end a war."

The Rangers stay quiet. They've learned silence in their old age. Kim looks at me almost hopefully, and I hold up a hand. "Hear me out. When I'm finished, tell me whatever you want, but until then, just listen."

For the barest fraction of a second, I wonder if I can really do this. Can I cast away everything I've ever known, get rid of what I think, feel, believe, all for the sake of children I don't know?

Or is it something deeper?

"Eltar wants to conquer Earth. They use Rangers as bait, to allow a planet to accept their help. Then they claim that the Dark Court will kill them unless they join the Eltarian Empire. It's not true. It's part of their war with the Dark Court." I pause. "Zedd was the first to find a flaw in this. If the Eltarians come back when the Dino Gems are being used, and they see a valid villain being fought, they back off. He saved hundreds of planets by being that villain, but eventually Eltar realized what he was doing. He had to pass the mantle on. He chose me."

Murmers run around the room. Good.

This is right.

"I became Lord Tirthor to save Earth. I never expected Eltar to realize what was happening. I never expected them to kidnap the youngest Rangers. But they did." I pause. "Didn't you guys ever wonder about the guy who put you on the battlefield? I didn't. I was too brainwashed from Rita. But think about it. He took you out of school, expected you to lie to your parents and friends, asked you to fight when full-grown Marines would have done a better job."

More murmers, this time disgruntled.

"We did what no one should have been asked, let alone able, to do. We won. We accomplished the impossible!" I have the Rangers entranced now. "But we lost." I say, letting my voice drop slightly. "We let Eltar continue to create Rangers. We _helped_ create these Rangers."

I remember Kira's horror and despair as I crushed her dreams. I remember Conner's screams and Ethan's silence.

I remember Trent's pain. Kireti's pain.

Kim's broken silence.

"We did this. We handed these children to a monster that will slowly eat them alive." I say quietly. "It's time we grew up."

They look at each other.

"It's time we fought back, guys. We're a team, _the_ team. We're the ones who accomplished the impossible, who still do." I look at them. "We owe these kids. All of them. And I say it's time we paid the next generation back."

I walk up to Jason and hold out my hand.

"Help me save them."

Jason's silent for a minute, suspicious. We're both throwing away everything, tossing our beliefes and very beings into the wind.

We're saving six children.

His hand clasps mine, and he pulls me into a hug. "Glad you're back, man."

We start to laugh and talk, and it's just like old times again.

But this time, destiny is ours.

* * *

I stalk through the Council's halls, the Sword of Darkness in my hand. I idly destroy sculptures and wave the sword threateningly at anyone who looks like they'll get in my way. Finally, though, I reach the Council's Chamber.

The Council of Light sits in a circle, and when I walk forward I see why they hold trials here. A podium is in the center, and the Council is so high above the person there that they may as well be ants.

I smash the podium in two.

"What is the meaning of this?" One of the Council members rumbles angrily.

"Remember me?" I ask, my voice echoing. "No? I am Tommy Oliver, leader of the Earth Power Rangers! But maybe you know me better as Lord Tirthor!"

They gasp in shock.

"My army waits above your planet as we speak. At one command, I can have you obliterated!" I shout. Dramatic and effective. "Kireti, disarm them."

Weapons shoot into his grasp, and he grins. "Got it, Tom." Finally. Was thinking I'd have to pull your teeth out before you'd call me that.

"Now. I've been hearing very _odd_ rumors lately. I know they must be false. I mean, how in the universe could the Council of Light be taking over planets with no reason for doing so?" I ask mockingly.

"Good question, Tommy." Jason asks, stepping up beside me in full Red Ranger morph. "I was wondering the same thing."

"And me." Kim says.

"And me!" Aisha says next, too confident to be left out.

One by one, a horde of Earth Rangers checks in, fully morphed and ready for battle, followed by the youngest voices of all. The Council looks stunned.

"You think I'm joking about the army?" I demand coldly. "Now. I know you guys want to live, but, well, I saw what you did to the kids. It wasn't pretty. So I'll let you live...on one condition."

"What?" One Councilman growls.

I aim a blast at him. "Now, now, temper." I say idly. "It's a little thing, really." I pause and _glare_. "_Quit taking over planets_."

"Or you'll wish we'd killed you." Kireti bluffs. He really couldn't hurt a fly anymore, but oh, well. Is it bad that I'm proud of him?

The Council murmers.

"Well? Do you agree?" I aim another blast above their heads. "Or do I start picking you off one by one?"

The head Councilman stands. "We agree, Lord Tirthor. But the Ranger technology will leave those planets as well."

"Fine by me. They can have ours." I grin. "Lightspeed did such a great job, don't you think?"

Then I turn.

"Come on, guys. Let's go home."

And after a decade, I finally get to go home with them.


	10. Epilouge

A\N: Did you know that if you don't delete your cookies, FFN won't let you in? No, neither did I. On the other hand...I HAVE A LAPTOP! Awesomeness!!! ;)

* * *

Kireti, Trent, and Conner are watching football. Kira's talking to Trini and Tanya. Kim and Jason are laughing about something.

It's as good a time as any to leave.

I sigh and look at Kireti and Trent one last time. My boys will be safe. I left them the house and enough money to keep going for a few lifetimes, let alone the couple of years it'll take to do this. I'll miss them, though.

A memory flashes by me, of watching them sleep before the greatest night of my life, and I shake it away. Enough sentiment, Tommy. Time to go.

I step out the door.

The thrill of adventure and pain of loss fill me. I head away. This isn't the time to be hurt, this is the time to look forward. The future is filled with bigger and better things.

I see my ship and smile. Well, at least it's still in one piece. I'm pretty sure Conner and Trent were going to blow it up when we landed. Something about not letting me leave again because Kim missed me. They're pretty goofy kids--Kim doesn't need me.

I step inside my ship and see Kim sitting perched in the copilot's seat.

"Hi." She says.

"Hi. What are you doing?" I ask, not bothering with pleasantries.

She doesn't either. "You aren't leaving, Tommy."

"There are twelve planets I'm responsible for, Kim." I tell her gently. "I've kept them out of the Dark Court's hands so far, but it won't be forever."

"I know. I'm helping you."

I shake my head. "To help, I have to leave." I sit across from her, taking her hands in mine. "Stay here, Kim. You have a life, a family."

"So do you, bro." Jason says, emerging from wherever he was hidden. "You might wanna watch out, Zack found your CD collection."

I stare at him.

Jason laughs. "Man, you are a dolt. You might've gone rouge, Tom, but you were really being more of a hero than I ever was. Hell, all I did was nearly get Earth sucked into the Evil Eltarian Empire." He leans on the top of my chair. "You're my bro. Our bro. We aren't letting that go."

"I need this." I tell him.

"Of course you do." Trini says. "Or rather, you think you do. But you really don't, Tommy. You've been out of touch with humans for how long, again? And you've spent even longer pretending you're evil." She gives me a look, a mischievous, knowing twinkle in her eye. "You did that to punish yourself. And you're punishing yourself again."

Billy nods. "Trini is correct, Tommy. You need to stop doing this. We are your friends. You cannot shut us out again."

"Yeah, man, what they said." Zack agrees, grinning.

I look at Kim, my hands falling from hers.

"You're right." I admit. "I hurt people, and I feel guilty. But you know what? I'm right to. I've murdered, I've tortured, I'm everything we used to fight against." I shut my eyes in pain. "Kireti and Trent don't deserve me. You guys don't deserve me. None of you. I'm just an asshole like all the ones we used to fight when we were kids."

Jason cracks up.

"What?" I demand, annoyed.

"Bro, I think being around Kireti so much made your brain go dead." Jason says. "You aren't a villain. You saved the world. Nothing more heroic than that."

I look at Kim.

I can't lie. I never have. Not to her.

"I hurt you." I whisper.

Kimberly hesitates. Then she holds out a hand. "I forgive you, Tommy." She says gently. "I already forgave you. And I love you."

Her hand waits.

So do the spaceship controls. Two destinies, one leading to adventure, the other...

I reach out and take her hand.

_The other leads me home._

Kim slings her arm around my waist. "Come on. You need to meet Hales. She's like our Billy, but cooler. No offense."

"None taken." Billy says. As they lead me away from the spaceship, I smile.

Kireti looks up at me. "Tom?"

"Hi, buddy." I hug him. "Miss me?"

"Course not." He lies.

His eyes tell me the truth. And that's enough.

We're home.


End file.
